The Seeing Eye Guide
A magazine for friends of The Seeing Eye
Winter 2014-2015
Volume 80, Number 3
The cover photo shows Seeing Eye graduate Dr. Louis Leotta Jr. with his German shepherd, Cori, in
harness. They are walking on a snowy sidewalk on a suburban street. Lou is wearing a warm winter
jacket, zipped up almost all the way, but not quite; underneath he is wearing a shirt and tie. He is
wearing black gloves. His head is up as he walks with Cori eagerly pulling out in front of him.
The text across the bottom of the picture reads: 60 YEARS OF LEARNING
Contents
Winter 2014-2015, Volume 80, Number 3
Letters to The Seeing Eye
Cover Story: Dr. Louis Leotta, Jr.
Thank You, Volunteers
Pennies for Puppies: Girl Scouts / Girl Power!
Adopted Dog: Marek. What happens when a Seeing Eye dog goes blind?
Donor Profile: The Wohlers Family Foundation
On the Cover:
Dr. Louis Leotta Jr., who was teamed with his first Seeing Eye dog in 1955, walks with his ninth, a
German shepherd named Cori. Photo by Tom Martin.
A Seeing Eye Perspective
This story has a photo of Seeing Eye President and CEO James A. Kutsch Jr. with his Seeing Eye dog, a
German shepherd named Vegas. Kutsch is wearing a blue shirt and khaki slacks and has his arm around
Vegas, who is panting so he appears to be smiling. Behind them are green bushes.
A Seeing Eye Perspective
It’s amazing when you think about how many lives are touched by a single Seeing Eye® dog.
For the first two months of his life, my Seeing Eye dog, Vegas, was watched over by his mother – and the
staff and volunteers at our breeding station. Not only did they care for Vegas, but they also played with
him and the other puppies, a key early lesson in teaching him to trust and love humans and other dogs.
The staff also exposed him to all manners of unusual sounds, sights, and smells, another important
exercise in developing a future Seeing Eye dog.
His education continued when he was assigned to the puppy raiser family that would welcome him into
their home. For the next year, Vegas learned basic commands like sit, down, and rest (our command for
“stay”). He also learned how to stay off of the furniture, walk on a leash, and other good “house
manners.” He attended puppy club meetings where he met other puppy raisers and their puppies. He
went to malls, to sports events, and on other outings. All these experiences shaped Vegas into the wellmannered, friendly dog he is today.
All this before his formal training had even begun!
At 15 months of age, Vegas was assigned to a “string” – the group of a half-dozen or so dogs that a
Seeing Eye instructor trains for four months. Vegas walked the streets of Morristown, learning
“forward,” “left,” and “right” – yes, our dogs know left from right! – and how to stop at corners, for
passing cars, or at stairs. He also learned how to look up to spot low-hanging tree branches, street signs,
and awnings, and how to ignore pedestrians, passing dogs, and even darting squirrels.
Finally, it was time for Vegas to meet me. And since May 7, 2013, we’ve spent nearly every waking
moment together. I learned how fast he walks, and how hard he pulls, and whether he prefers pats or
scratches when I praise him for a job well done. He’s learned how quickly I can follow him around
obstacles, and how many times I’ll throw his favorite toy, and which one of my feet is the more
comfortable pillow while we’re in a long meeting.
Our match has been a successful one, not just because of the time we’ve spent together, but because of
all those people who helped along the way, from the volunteer at the breeding station who introduced
him to a wobble board to the instructor who taught him how to navigate around a construction site. But
there’s one other person who helped make our match: You, our donor. Your support not only made this
match possible, but made possible all of our more than 16,000 matches.
On behalf of all those graduates and their dogs, Vegas and I can’t thank you enough.
Sincerely,
James A. Kutsch, Jr.
President & CEO, The Seeing Eye
Welcome to The Seeing Eye Heritage Society
This page has an illustration of Buddy, the German shepherd who was teamed with Morris Frank and
was the world’s first Seeing Eye dog.
The Seeing Eye Heritage Society was founded in 1989 to recognize and honor those individuals who
have taken the important step of including a legacy gift to The Seeing Eye in their financial portfolios or
estate plans. Members of The Heritage Society have recognized the importance of the continuation of
our work with people who are blind and visually impaired and have expressed a commitment to that
end by planning a gift which will help provide for the future success of the school.
Legacy gifts make up a large portion of the donations received by The Seeing Eye each year, for which
we are most grateful. Gifts of this nature secure the future of our mission, providing ongoing services to
our graduates and new students.
It is very possible that you are eligible for membership in The Heritage Society, but haven’t let us know.
If you have created a bequest in your will or trust, or named The Seeing Eye as beneficiary of a
charitable trust, a retirement plan, or a life insurance policy, you are eligible to become a member of
The Heritage Society! We want very much to be able to say “thank you” and include you in The Heritage
Society events. Please take a moment to inform us of your intention by calling 973-539-4425 x1735 or
email donate@SeeingEye.org.
Across these pages you will see the names of those individuals who have informed us of their
extraordinary commitment to enhancing the independence, dignity, and self-confidence of people who
are blind through the use of Seeing Eye® dogs by providing for The Seeing Eye in their estate plans.
Thank you!
Ms. Pauline Alexander
Mrs. Cynthia Allen
Jen Armbruster
Tamara Armstrong
Rana McMurray Arnold
Ms. Murielle Arseneau
Mrs. Rhoda Attanasio
Barbara A. Backer, RN
James & Irene Baranski
Dr. & Mrs. James Barnes
Dr. Michael L. Barnett
Ms. Alma Baumgaertner
Ms. Barbara Baumgaertner
Mildred H. Beam
Andrea & Mitch Becker
Mrs. Susanna A. Berger*
Rita V. Bergerson
Ms. Nancy Conant Berresford
Nanette Boak
Ulrike Kreiner-Holzhauer and Viktor Kreiner
Miss Candice Bolte
Doris Bowen
Mr. Kenneth Bowles
Fred & Kathy Brack
Carole J. Brand
Mr. Daniel P. Braun
Art & Mary Braunschweiger
Lt. Gen. & Mrs. Robert A. Breitweiser
Nina R. Brilli
Mrs. Gloria Brinker
Barbara Brooks Family Trust
Mr. & Mrs. William Brouillard
Cindy Brown
Carol & Ray Bsarany
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Buck
Dr. Mari Bull
Ms. Joan E. Burgomaster
Lolly & Jay Burke
Lloyd Burlingame
Mr. & Mrs. Frederick B. Campbell
Thomas J. Cancro
Mr. Richard Cannon
Ms. Judi Cannon
Donna A. Carides
Julie H. Carroll, Esq.
Ms. Judith Carson
Carole Doosey Cascella
Mr. Santo Cascio
Ms. Lauren Casey
Mrs. Ann L. Cavalli
Catherine A.M. Cavanaugh
David & Marion Chappell
Mrs. Margaret P. Chappell
Mr. Thomas J. Cherry
Dr. Lawrence X. Clifford
Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Collin
Lt. Col. Norman F. Comly*
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick G. Constantinides
Mr. Alan Conway
Miss Ann L. Corbly
George & Nancy Cottrell
Mrs. Joan Coughlin
Ms. Arline Cowell*
Mr. Charles Crawford
Mrs. Lee Crossman
Deborah E. Curtis
Mr. John A. D'Ambra
Mr. Alan Dalton
Craig Davis
Lois N. DeConca
Mrs. Elizabeth Sandra DeGeorge
Ms. Raye L. Delle
Lori & Dennis DeMarco
Francis & Karen DeNaro
Ms. Denise DePalma
Doris N. Desher
Ms. Barbara Dicks
Margie Donovan
Dr. & Mrs. George Alexander Doumani
Janice G. Drake
Ms. Michele Drolet
Kenneth Duncan & Patricia Lewis*
The Honorable and Mrs. Davis Duty
Mr. & Mrs. David J. Ebel
Douglas and Wyndham Eberle
Dr. Sylvia Ebert
Mr. and Mrs. Terry J. Eld
Dr. & Mrs. James Elston
Marcus Engel
Lorraine Engenito
Elizabeth Esposito Chiarella
Mrs. Susan Etters
Donna J. Evans
Albert & Gloria* Evans
Mr. Paul H. Falon
Mrs. Lorraine R. Filiere
Stuart H. and Sandra K. Fine
Ms. Eleanor A. Finnin
Mr.* & Mrs. James Fitzgerald
Patricia E. Fleming
Mr. Gene F. Forsyth
Betty Foster
Ms. Jane L. Fouraker
Maria Franchino
Ms. Mary Franklin
Ms. Estelle Freedman*
Mr. Robert E. Friedman
Ms. Irene M. Gaitley
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Gallagher
Mrs. Frederica W. Gamble
Tom Garner
Mrs. Peggy Garrett
Ms. Helen Gartman
Hank & Gudy Gautschy
Drs. Philip and Marjorie Gerdine
Shirley M. Giovannoli
Florence Susan Godek
Susan* & Keith Gonzalez
Mr. Brian Gourley
Joan Grandinetti
Peggy Grow
Elsie D. Hajdics
Robert & Dana Hamwee
Peggy Harris
Marilyn & Gord Harris
Ms. Mary Ellen Harris
Mr. J. Philip Hart
Timothy & Lorraine Hartley
Ms. Joan D. Hassan
Robert & Jean Hegedus
Jeffrey Henn
Mr. & Mrs. David G. Henry
F. Lois Henry
Tidi B. Herndon
Mr. & Mrs. Gordon C. Hill
Jamie C. Hilton
Jim & Debbie Hoffert
Mrs. Elizabeth Hontz
Claire A. Hopkins
Don Horneff
Mrs. Vivian Hulse
Ms. Mary Jane Irwin
Graham & Jean Jeffrey
Miss Barbara L. Jennings
Priscilla H. Johnson
Miss Natalie Johnson
Mr. R. Bruce Johnson
In memory of Dolores Johnston
Lynda Jones
Michael and Sylvie Meyers-Jouan
Ms. Jane Judson
Mrs. Karen Julius
Mr. Howard J. Kahn
Arthur & Esther Kane
Dr. Sivia Kaye
Mrs. Virginia S. Kelcec
Kevin & Gina Keyte
Mrs. Junerose Killian
Rita Kilpatrick
Joseph Dean Klatt, PhD
Cameron & Martha Koblish
Raymond and Lois Kohan
Earl & Anna Kragnes
Norma Krajczar
Charles W. & Cissy R. Kramer
John G. & Ruth K.* Kramer
Marvin * & Gaytha Kraushar
Mr. Harry L. Krueger
Dr. James A. Kutsch, Jr. & Mrs. Ginger B. Kutsch
Ms. Elissa La Bagnara
Mrs. Mary Lacatena and Mr. Jerome Lacatena
Annette M. Lange
Jacqueline Lanning
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lardine
Theresa Lassek
Elaine J. Lawrason
Kathleen & Leonard Lederer
Mr. Ralph W. Ledford
Dr. Harold F. Leeper & Ms. Ann B. Gourley
Midge Leitch, VMD*
Margaret Ann Leitz
Kaye Leslie
Helen and Robert Levins
Hilda W. Lichtenstein*
Dr. Rebecca Lineberger
Irwin & Lois Ann Linker
Richard H. Livesey III & Mrs. Mae F. Livesey
Judith and Victor V. Lolli
Daisy Lundsten
Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Lurie
Mr. Edward Macauley
Ted Macdonald
Mrs. Marjorie Machesney
James & Eugenia MacKellar
Mary Jeanne Maclaurin
Mrs. Ann Mann
Mary Manwaring
Donna Jean Marrone in memory of Louis Jr. & Karen Ann
Ms. Phyllis J. Marsteller
Robert & Debra Mastera
Camille Mastri
Ms. Flora Mattis
Ms. Ruth A. McCartney
Mrs. Gwynne G. McDevitt
Mrs. Toula McEllen
Erin McNamara
Mr. David McShane
Mr. William Meinecke
Mr. Richard G. Mercner
Mrs. Judith Meyers
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Meyers
Barbara Michie
Mrs. Melba Middleton
Mr. Edward W. Miller
Asya Miller
Lois Mills
Harriet E. Monaghan
Pim Montgomery
Rev. Bonnie L. Moore
Mrs. Barbara Moore
Jeanne-Marie Moore
Helen F. Morgan
Paul and Rosie Morline
Jed C. Morris
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph D. Moulton
Ms. Phyllis M. Murphy
Jeanne C. Myers
Dr. Grace Napier
Mrs. Jeanne Neale
Miss Evelyn M. Nemes
Dr. & Mrs. Edwin B. Nettleton
Dr. Aminda Nicoloro
Ms. Arlene Nihan
Mrs. Renate S. Nolius
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Norman
Barbara W. Nugent
Richard K. O'Dea
Mrs. Juanita B. Oleyar
Louise B. Olshan
Mrs. Elise R. Olton *
Mr. & Mrs. L. Ostar
Mr. & Mrs. L. Ostar
Mrs. Margaret S. Osterhoudt
Elizabeth Ostrowski
Margaret E. Otto
Mrs. Irene Palazzo
Mrs. Ethel H. Palmer
Lois Paris
Mr. & Mrs. Ben Parisi
Theodore C. Paulson, Sr.
Mr. Louis Pepe
Ms. Zucel Perez
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Peterson
Gail J. Petre
Miss Camille Petrecca
Dianne & Beverly Petty
Mrs. Lisa Pfleider
Mr. William J. Pimblott
Miss Gladys R. Pincus
Cheryl L. Pitz
Martha & Howard Polin
Dena L. Polston
Andrea C. Popick
Mr. Charles A. Prescott
Mr. George T. Pullman
Mr. William D. Quick
Ms. Ellen Quimper
Claire Durand Racamato
Mrs. Ruth Reed
Miss Monte F. Richardson
Buddy & Nancy Richman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Roberts
Ms. Rachel Robinson
Claire Barlow Roffino
Richard & Lisa Roiseman
June Catherine Romano
Diane Romano
Barbara Ina Rosen in memory of Rose and Max Rosen
Elyse G. Rosenfield
Mr. Kenneth Rosenthal
Ms. Grace Rosenthal
Jan Rumbaugh
David A. Salo
Mr. Anthony Salvati
Sylvia Sammons
Dave & Janet Sanders
Doris R. Satterwhite
Susan Schechter
Patricia & Richard Schnadig
Katherine Schneider, Ph.D.
Mr. & Mrs. Leon E. Schrader
Ms. Betsy Schuhart
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Scott
Mr.* & Mrs. W. Sydnor Settle
Helen E. Sheehan
Katherine Shelton
Irene Sidun
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Silver
Judith L. Sissick
Janet L. Smith
Mr. Gerald Smith
Cornelia J. Smith
Susan V. Smith
Ann C. Smith
Mrs. Lenore Smith
James C. Solly in memory of Eleanora M. Solly
Mrs. Lillian S. Stamler
Ms. Valorie Stanard
Mrs. Lois A. Stange
Mark & Barbara Steinberg
Jo Anne Stevens
Eva Marie Stevens
Carol Stevens Hewson
Mrs. Marilyn Stiglitz
Mrs. Gloria Strei
Mr. Bruce Strnad
Mrs. Miriam Strong
Helen Jo Taliaferro
Leon A. Tierney, Jr.
Mr. Peter M. Tilkin
Jane Toleno
Kathy Towson
Miriam Travis
Ms. Eileen L. Trotta
Mr. John Turner
Carol A. Ungro
Ms. Peg Van Patton
Shirley M. Vavra
Mark Vellen
Dr. Brian Wallach
Mrs. Doreen Waller
Mr. & Mrs. Frank E. Walsh, Jr.
Sally A. Webb
Ms. Jane Weidlund
Mrs. Dorothy Weidowke
Miss Suzanne Whalen
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Whalen
Mrs. Marie Whitlatch
Ms. Theresa Wierszylo
Ms. Virginia Wild
Ms. Diane Wilgan
Dwight Wilson, Jr.
Mrs. Sharon F. Wolf
Ms. Karen A. Wood
Patricia J. Woolard-Wolff
Mary E. Wurst
Miss Ann S. Yagolnitzer
Joyce B. Young
29 members of the Heritage Society wish to remain anonymous
* in memoriam
Letters to The Seeing Eye
Dear Seeing Eye:
After graduating from The Seeing Eye in June with Bryce, I decided it was a good time to “downsize.” I
had a moving sale at which I set out a jar accepting donations for The Seeing Eye. Bryce was a huge hit,
just as he is EVERYWHERE we go together. He is the most incredible thing that has ever happened in my
life. He amazes not only me, but everyone he comes in contact with! Thank you for allowing me the
opportunity to become more independent and more self-confident because of the gift of my Bryce
“Krispie.”
Please accept this donation as a thank you for all you have done for me and will continue to do for
others. Bryce and I send our best to all our friends and family at The Seeing Eye.
Elizabeth Roberts
Seeing Eye graduate
Dear Seeing Eye:
I would like to thank you for the puppy raising scholarship, for which I am honored to have been chosen.
Your generosity will help me attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as I pursue a degree in mechanical
engineering.
We got our first Seeing Eye puppy when I was just 7, and we are still raising puppies now, 10 puppies
later. I can truthfully say that the program has been an integral part of my childhood and adolescence.
Being involved with the program helped me make community service a way of life, develop strong public
speaking skills, and learn the importance and challenges of living up to your commitments on a daily
basis. Most importantly, The Seeing Eye Puppy Raiser Program has allowed me to know that I have
assisted some people in a profound and meaningful way. With the help of your generous scholarship, I
will get the education I’ll need to be able to impact the world on a much larger scale.
I thank you again for your generosity!
Austin Freedman
Dear Seeing Eye:
The Seeing Eye has been important to me since I was 11 years old, and my family and I started raising
our first puppy. Through puppy raising, I have learned so much about myself and life, much of which
served me well throughout high school and will continue to be important to me as I begin my studies at
Middlebury College in Vermont this fall. I wrote my college essay about puppy raising, and how it taught
me patience and persistence, in addition to providing my family and me with so many wonderful and
valuable experiences. The college reader at Middlebury told me that my essay made her cry; my story
about raising puppies for The Seeing Eye really struck a chord with her.
When people learn that I am a puppy raiser, they always focus on one piece of it – that I must return the
puppy I’ve grown to love to The Seeing Eye when the pup is ready to begin his or her formal training.
While that’s always difficult, I try to focus on the joy of seeing that former mischievous puppy moving
confidently through Morristown traffic during the town walk, and then getting the letter that my dog
has been matched, as well as the many moments of laughter and delight that each puppy gives me and
my family.
Turbo, Dixie, Xena, Layla, Qaden, and Erika are six wonderful dogs; all have had their strengths and
challenges, and I have cherished and learned from each one of them. It’s been an honor and a privilege
to be a puppy raiser for The Seeing Eye for the last seven years; I’ve gotten so much more than I’ve
given.
Meredith Tulloch
Dear Seeing Eye:
My mother, Rosemary Charlton, started raising Seeing Eye puppies in the late 1990s. The first dog you
train always stays with you and our dog was a yellow Lab named George. We had him during my last
years of high school and while it was difficult to let him go, we were comforted to learn that George had
been paired with a 19-year-old girl about to go off to college, as I was at the time. Over the years my
mom raised and sent five dogs back for training in Morristown. Each dog brought his own challenges and
traits, but one dog in particular stayed in my mom’s heart: a golden retriever named Morrie. Morrie was
an affable dog from the start. He was kind and gentle, nice and playful. Morrie was difficult to give back!
He ended up failing the program because of an inner eye issue and was adopted by our family. Over the
years, he became a central part of family life. My brother and I joked that Morrie was the favorite child
(which I can’t say with certainty was a joke!). When my parents moved to southern Delaware my mother
stopped raising puppies, so Morrie was the link to that wonderful time in our lives. He loved walking on
the beaches down there, playing with stuffed toys, and of course, food. Morrie passed away in
September at the grand old age of 14. To say “he will be missed” is an understatement.
We would like to give this donation to The Seeing Eye in Morrie’s name. It was collected from all the
people in my mom’s life who loved Morrie. We hope it will aid in your wonderful work!
Cristin Charlton Introcaso and Falon Licinski
Graduate Profile
Sixty Years of Learning
This article has two photos. The first shows Dr. Louis Leotta, Jr., sitting in an easy chair in his home.
Behind him is a brick fireplace and a bookcase with many books. He is wearing a navy blue cardigan over
a dark red sweater vest, with a white shirt and a red tie, dark slacks, and brown shoes. He is reaching
down to pat the head of Cori, a German shepherd in harness. Cori, lying at his feet and facing the
photographer, has her mouth open and she seems to be really enjoying the pat! The caption reads: Dr.
Louis Leotta, Jr., and his ninth Seeing Eye dog, Cori. Photo by Tom Martin.
The second photo shows Lou seated in his chair with his hands folded in his lap, the fingers interlaced, as
if he is speaking to a friend. Cori, lying at his feet, is looking back at him with her mouth slightly open and
her ears perked up – intently listening! The caption reads: ‘This little dog is great for me,’ Lou says. Photo
by Tom Martin.
From 1955 to today, Dr. Louis Leotta, Jr., has had a Seeing Eye dog by his side
Lou first came to The Seeing Eye as a college student; he returned two years ago as a retired college
professor. He’s now with his ninth Seeing Eye dog, a female German shepherd named Cori.
“As long as I can walk I’ll have a guide dog,” said Lou, who lives in Olean, New York. “I’m 80 years old
and I still walk two miles just about every day, even in the winter. On a good day, no ice or snow, we can
do two miles in 35 minutes. This little dog is great for me. She pulls hard and she walks fast, and I want
that, because I still walk fast too. One of these years maybe I’ll slow down.” He chuckled. “Not yet
though.”
Lou was born legally blind due to glaucoma, but still had some usable vision, and he made the most of it.
“I was very observant,” Lou said. “And that’s a mental process. There are people who have 20/20 vision
who just don’t see very well. So what little vision I had, I made sure to use to the maximum.”
But one night, at the age of 15, Lou went to bed and woke up completely blind.
“I was still the same curious person, eager to learn about the world, but now I couldn’t see,” Lou said.
“So I had to channel that curiosity in another direction. I turned to academics.”
He never considered getting a guide dog until, at Perkins School for the Blind in Massachusetts, he met a
man who changed his mind.
“Morris Frank,” Lou said. “You have to remember Morris Frank was a salesman, and he sold me on the
idea of a Seeing Eye dog. Not just to me, but to the world.”
After being accepted to study for his undergraduate degree at Colby College in Maine, Lou decided the
time was right to get a Seeing Eye dog. “I was going to a new environment, and I thought a guide dog…
well, maybe that will be useful. I had no idea what a difference it would make in my life.”
At the time, The Seeing Eye was still located in Whippany, New Jersey. His first instructor was Seeing Eye
legend Dick Krokus.
“There was a perception in those days that blind people, of any age, were to be treated like children,”
Lou said. “They had to be watched, and guided, and cared for. Even people who worked with blind
people had a paternalistic attitude. That we had to be protected from ourselves. But at The Seeing Eye,
you’re treated with respect.”
When he first came to The Seeing Eye, Lou said, he knew nothing about dogs.
“We didn’t have a dog growing up, so all I knew about them was the books I had read about how these
dogs are so smart and so well trained,” he said. “The first day out with the dog, she made a mistake and
I thought, ‘What’s this? Did they give me a bad one?’ I thought they would be like machines – you press
a button and off you go. Of course it was a preposterous idea! A dog doesn’t work that way. They are
trained dogs, but they aren’t robots. They are living beings with minds of their own. Soon enough I came
to realize in fact I was making a lot more mistakes than the dog was. You’re a team and you need to
learn how to work together.”
He said he knew he made the right decision on a particular route in Morristown. “There used to be a
tree right in the middle of the sidewalk,” he recalled. “It’s not there anymore, but all of us old-timers
know that tree well. Mr. Krokus said, ‘There’s a tree in the middle of the sidewalk and you’re going to
have to go around it. Just follow your dog.’ And we take off down the sidewalk at a very good clip and
I’m thinking, ‘Whoa, wait a second, where’s this tree, hang on!’ And that dog whipped us around that
tree without even breaking stride and I thought, ‘This is it! This is what I came here for!’
“I had some great instructors over the years. Dick Krokus, Daniel Boeke, Roger Taylor. But when I came
for Cori in 2013, I think I learned more from Pete Jackson than I had from anyone. He caught a lot of
things I was doing, maybe I wasn’t doing them wrong, but he pointed out how I could do them better.
He never said, ‘You’re doing that wrong.’ Instead he said, ‘You might want to try this.’ You’re never too
old to keep learning.”
Lou, who earned his master’s and Ph.D. at Columbia University, taught American History for 34 years,
starting with Fairleigh Dickinson University and later at Rutgers University, both in New Jersey. He later
taught at New Hampshire University. He spent most of his career at St. Bonaventure University in New
York, where he was named a professor emeritus in 2001.
“The dog would help me get to the classroom,” Lou said. “But once I walked in, I would turn on the light,
open the window, and put the dog under the desk. That was it! Then I’m just a professor. I would teach
and the dog would sleep.”
Even after all these years, Lou said, he still gets a thrill out of working with a dog.
“I get a psychological boost from being able to walk down the street, not needing someone to guide me,
not having to worry about bumping into anyone or anything,” he said. “That freedom it gives me is why I
come back, time after time.”
Volunteer Reception
Thank You, Volunteers!
Holly Duffy is the 2014 Volunteer of the Year
This article has several photos. The first shows five women standing together in the MultiPurpose Room of The Seeing Eye. The woman in the center is holding a large framed photo of a
German shepherd in a field. The photo caption reads: Seeing Eye volunteers, from left, Melinda
Gilligan, Karin Stoetzer, 2014 Volunteer of the Year Holly Duffy, Marilyn Cianciotta, and Kaity
Duffy.
Next is a montage of four photos: Jim Kutsch shaking the hand of a volunteer; David Johnson
smiling as he speaks with volunteers; Davida Isaacson smiling as she listens to Seeing Eye
graduate Toula McEllen and her husband Tom; and Seeing Eye Board Chairman Peter Crnkovich
speaking to the volunteers as Jim Kutsch, with Vegas at his side, listens with a smile. The caption
reads: Staff, graduates, and volunteers at the 2014 Seeing Eye Volunteer Reception.
The Seeing Eye has about 160 on-campus volunteers – even more volunteers than it does full-time
employees. These volunteers do a number of tasks, from helping to care for the dogs to leading campus
visits to bringing special deliveries to puppy raiser families!
On September 4, The Seeing Eye thanked its volunteers with a reception held on campus. All volunteers
were invited to attend, and gifts were presented to the 39 volunteers who achieved milestones of 1, 5,
or 10 years of service.
“Volunteers are The Seeing Eye’s secret weapon,” Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch said. “Every
volunteer is helping our mission, and they do it in all aspects of our work.”
Holly Duffy, a volunteer in the Donor & Public Relations, Admissions & Graduate Services, and Puppy
Development departments, was named The Seeing Eye’s 2014 Volunteer of the Year.
“I first heard about The Seeing Eye from actually seeing them around town – I live in Morris Township so
the dogs are all over,” she said. “The instructors, students and dogs frequently train in my
neighborhood. My own pup is so used to them that she's not bothered by them at all, and she's
bothered by a lot of dogs!”
Holly became a volunteer in January 2010, helping with filing and organizing estate files. A few months
later, she started helping Donor & Public Relations with merchandise sales to students.
“What I like best is the chance to actually interact with the students,” Holly said. “I feel very fortunate. I
get to see the change in the students from when they are hesitantly walking down the hallway during
their first few days, to the soon-to-be graduates who are so comfortable and trusting with their new
Seeing Eye dogs. It is such an amazing transformation!”
Lately, she’s been helping Puppy Development with “puppy relays” – transporting 7-week-old puppies
from The Seeing Eye to the area coordinator, who then delivers them to their puppy raising families, and
bringing the older puppies back to The Seeing Eye when they’re ready to begin training.
“I love working with everyone on campus,” Holly said. “I have become quite close with a few of my
‘bosses.’ I also work with a great group of volunteers! I truly could not have been Volunteer of the Year
without their help.”
Holly also enlisted some help of her own – she’s convinced her husband, Andy, daughter, Kaity, and son,
AJ, to support The Seeing Eye as well.
“If you’re interested in volunteering for The Seeing Eye, I say ‘do it!’ It is such a wonderful organization,
and I hope to be volunteering here for a long, long time,” she said.
Volunteer Service Awards
One Year of Service
Lisa Blumert
Marjorie Brandriss
Linda Chakrin
Peter Gakos
Marjorie Kennedy
Kathleen Lederer
Michele Loihle
Donna Mascia
Linda McConoughey
Margaret Meyer
Michael Meyers-Jouan
Daniel Paterson
Nadine Sutcliffe
Lauren Wheeler
Colleen White
Kasey Wu
Five Years of Service
Alma Best
Trish Ebel
Robert Frederick
Bob Garry
Robert Green
Robert Hemsen
Ellen Ringle
Kathleen Liptak
Kathleen Lopes
Ginny Mahood
Caren Malone
Lewis Ostar
Elise Ross
Jane Schneiderman
Dale Smith
Joyce Spinelli
Karin Stoetzer
Ten Years of Service
Gayll Fisher
Bruce Johnson
Barbara Landmann
Patricia O’Connor
Pat Swanson
Volunteer of the Year
Holly Duffy
Pennies for Puppies
Girl Power!
Across the top of the page is a close-up photo of a pile of pennies. There also is a photo of four girls, in
brown Girl Scout vests over lime green Seeing Eye T-shirts, standing in front of a poster that reads “The
Seeing Eye” and is covered with colorful paw prints and pictures of Seeing Eye puppies. The photo
caption reads: Girls from Girl Scout Troop #1518, from left: Julie McGovern, Rebecca Perez, Christina
Mari, and Ryan Sargenti.
Girl Scout Troop’s support of Seeing Eye earns Silver Award
Four girls who have been Girl Scouts together since kindergarten wanted a special project for their Silver
Award, the second-highest award a Girl Scout can achieve. Christina Mari, Julie McGovern, Rebecca
Perez, and Ryan Sargenti, of Girl Scout Troop #1518 in Oradell, New Jersey, now in the ninth grade,
wanted to base their project around an organization that they admired.
“The four of us had something in common – we all loved dogs,” Christina said. “We realized that working
with The Seeing Eye would give us a chance not only to help people, but dogs and puppies. We also liked
that the organization was close to our home, so we could visit and deliver our donation in person.”
“We went on The Seeing Eye’s website and right away we knew it was what we wanted to do,” Ryan
said.
The girls held two bake sales to raise enough money to purchase a leather harness for a Seeing Eye dog,
and collected towels, pet toys, and dog food to donate to The Seeing Eye through our Pennies for
Puppies® program. They also held an awareness event at an elementary school, teaching the children
about The Seeing Eye and the importance of not distracting guide dogs and other service animals while
they are working.
“We did an activity where we blindfolded the students and put different obstacles in front of them, and
one of us would guide them,” Julie said.
"We learned how difficult it actually is, and how lucky we are to have our eyesight,” Rebecca said. “It’s a
lot of work to get a guide dog and it’s not easy. It takes a lot of hard work and training.”
Pennies for Puppies®/Dollars for Dogs® programs
The Seeing Eye offers two programs to help groups that want to raise money for us. Pennies for Puppies
is aimed at schools, Boy and Girl Scout troops, and other youth organizations. Dollars for Dogs is for
service clubs, senior citizen groups, businesses, and other adult organizations. Your organization can
come up with its own fundraiser, such as a bake sale, a “denim day” where employees can make a
donation to wear jeans to work, collect at a school play, and so on. Or you can contact us for ideas that
have worked for other groups. For more information about either program, call Pennies for
Puppies/Dollars for Dogs volunteer coordinator Don MacGowan at (973) 539-4425 or email
pennies@SeeingEye.org.
Career Change
What Happens When A Seeing Eye Dog Goes Blind?
The photo shows Pam Wilson, wearing a red sweater and black slacks, sitting in a chair in front of the
fireplace next to a Christmas tree covered with ornaments. There are a number of presents under the
tree. She is holding a yellow Labrador/golden retriever cross who is sitting on the floor in front of her.
The caption reads: Marek, a yellow Labrador/golden retriever cross, sitting in the Carol G. Simon Foyer
at The Seeing Eye with adopter Pam Wilson.
At The Seeing Eye, we invite local schoolchildren to visit the campus to learn about our program, and
they often get the chance to have a question-and-answer session with a Seeing Eye graduate.
Particularly among the younger children, one question is asked surprisingly often: “What would happen
if your Seeing Eye dog went blind?”
Thanks to The Seeing Eye’s careful breeding program and health screening process, fortunately this is
rarely the case. But it can happen… and it did, to Marek, a yellow Labrador/golden retriever cross who
had worked as a Seeing Eye dog for six years.
But by age 9, he began to develop vision problems of his own. Diabetes and age-related cataracts were
making it impossible for him to continue working as a guide dog, and unfortunately, his owner was
unable to keep him as a pet.
Marek was returned to The Seeing Eye, where Dr. Dolores Holle, The Seeing Eye’s attending veterinarian
and director of Canine Medicine & Surgery, evaluated his vision.
“Due to the cataracts, he probably only had light perception at this point,” she said.
His diabetes was treated, and surgery at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital then removed the cataracts to
restore most of his vision.
“It was a wonderful thing to be able to restore Marek’s vision,” she said. “He came here really relying on
his nose to identify everyone, and it was a joy to see him re-acquaint himself with everyone now that he
had some vision again.”
Marek’s health and vision had improved, but his career as a Seeing Eye dog was over. Now what? As you
can imagine, there’s a long waiting list of people eager to give a home to these well-trained, wellbehaved dogs. Michael and Pam Wilson, who live in Denville, New Jersey, were offered the opportunity
to take Marek home in December, and quickly jumped at the chance. He arrived home just in time for
the holidays.
“He loves playing in the snow,” Pam said. “We went out hiking in it today and he was happy as a clam.
He’s really spry for his age!”
Pam said she and her husband are very attentive to Marek’s diet – his usual treats are ice cubes (no
surprise given his love for eating snow).
“We brought him to the vet last week for a glucose test, and all his numbers were great,” she said. “He’s
so well trained. He’s just a great dog.”
Pam also is a volunteer for The Seeing Eye, helping to organize and maintain our extensive archive of
historic documents and other items related to the guide dog movement. She’s also done grocery
shopping for students while they are in class.
“The Seeing Eye is a wonderful place to volunteer,” she said. “Everyone is always so happy to see you
and so appreciative of what you do.”
Donor Profile
The Wohlers Family Foundation
A Quarter-Century of Supporting The Seeing Eye
Across the bottom of the page is a photo of Seeing Eye Instructor Nicole Meyerkopf, wearing a bright
blue zippered sweatshirt with The Seeing Eye logo and beige slacks, kneeling with her arm around a
yellow Labrador/retriever cross. The photo caption reads: Nicole Meyerkopf with her current string of
dogs she is training: Irma, a female German shepherd; Nyack, a male yellow Labrador retriever; Ruffles,
a female black Labrador/golden retriever cross; Lindo, a male golden retriever; Radar, a male yellow
Labrador/golden retriever cross; and Eva, a female German shepherd.
The relationship between The Wohlers Family Foundation of Chicago, Illinois, and The Seeing Eye began
in 1991, with a gift from Albert Wohlers. Mr. Wohlers played an active role in the family foundation until
his passing at age 97 in November 2014.
“My grandfather’s father went blind at the end of his life. This had a strong impact on my grandfather
and was largely the motivating factor for his involvement with The Seeing Eye,” said Natalie Malik, Mr.
Wohler’s granddaughter and the executive director of the Wohlers Family Foundation. “He and my
grandmother both suffered from macular degeneration as well, so he himself felt the threat of blindness
and was getting treatment for the last several years of his life.”
The foundation has continued Mr. Wohler’s legacy of support for our mission, and, in July 2014,
provided a generous grant to sponsor Seeing Eye Instructor Nicole Meyerkopf for one year.
Nicole has been with The Seeing Eye since 2007. While attending Rutgers University in New Brunswick,
New Jersey, she raised two puppies for The Seeing Eye and served as president of her on-campus puppy
club. She also is currently raising Ellen, a Labrador/golden retriever cross. Nicole taught four students in
our October 27 – November 20, 2014 class and also made trips to Montana in September and to the
Pacific Northwest in late November to visit graduates and current applicants. She is scheduled to teach
again in our April 6 – April 30, 2015 class.
“I’ve always known I wanted to work with animals,” Nicole said. “I studied animal science with the
intention of working with horses, but the more I learned about The Seeing Eye, the more interested in
the organization I became. Not only do I have a passion for working with animals, but I also have always
loved talking to and teaching people. The instructor position here spoke to both of those strengths.”
Nicole said there are challenges to being an instructor. “We spend a lot of time away from home
between doing overnights in class and traveling,” she said. “It can also be emotionally draining. The
absolute hardest part of being an instructor is when a match fails, or it is time for a dog to retire. It is
always disappointing and heartbreaking when a partnership ends.”
But ultimately, she said, it’s all worth it. “It’s the type of profession that encourages development and
evolution as a trainer and as a teacher,” she said. “The relationships I have with my students and
graduates are unique and special, and I always look forward to meeting my new students on incoming
day.”
We thank the Wohlers Family Foundation for sponsoring Nicole and for its belief in our mission and the
difference we are making in the lives of men and women who are blind and visually-impaired.
News Highlights
Prepare To Bid!
This article has a picture of a yellow Labrador retriever puppy chewing on an auction paddle that has The
Seeing Eye logo on it.
The Seeing Eye will be holding its sixth annual online auction this spring, beginning April 28 and ending
May 8. We are currently accepting item donations, such as new (or unique) items, gift baskets, sports
tickets, or gift certificates. We also are looking for companies that would like to sponsor the auction.
If you have an item to donate, or if your company would be interested in sponsoring the auction, please
contact Sara Meehan at SMeehan@SeeingEye.org, call (973) 539-4425 ext 1736.
Set Your Support In Stone
This article has a photo of a yellow Labrador/golden retriever cross, in harness, and a yellow Labrador
retriever puppy, sitting on the engraved bricks outside the entrance to The Seeing Eye.
Are you looking to memorialize a favorite person or dog in your life, or looking for the perfect gift for
someone who has everything? Personalizing an engraved paving stone on The Seeing Eye's Path to
Independence is a great way to leave a lasting legacy for you or a loved one. A gift of $250 can
commemorate a 4-inch by 8-inch brick with room for up to 39 characters; $500 for an 8-inch square
brick containing up to 78 characters; and $1,000 or more for a 12-inch square paver with up to 128
characters. Bricks are installed annually in summer. The deadline to purchase a brick to be installed this
summer is April 30. For more information, email donate@SeeingEye.org or call (973) 539-4425.
Acknowledgments
This page has an acknowledgment for our corporate partner, Johnson & Johnson. It has the red logo of
Johnson & Johnson and below it in gray reads Family of Consumer Companies. The text reads: The Seeing
Eye thanks the Johnson & Johnson family of consumer companies for their support of our mission to
enhance the dignity, independence, and self-confidence of people who are blind and visually impaired
through the use of Seeing Eye dogs.
This page also has an acknowledgement for our corporate partner, Healthy Vision Association. The logo
is a green circle surrounded by two blue half-circles that are almost touching each other. The website for
the organization is below the logo: www.HealthyVisionAssociation.com.
Back cover
The back cover has a photo of a close-up of a honey-colored golden retriever puppy, just a few months
old. He has snow on top of his little black nose and under his chin.
The caption reads: This adorable photo is from the 2015 Seeing Eye® Puppy Calendar, which is still
available from our website at www.SeeingEye.org/calendar.
The Seeing Eye
President & CEO
James A. Kutsch, Jr.
***
Editor
Craig Garretson, Communications Manager
Visit our website: www.SeeingEye.org
Email: info@SeeingEye.org
Phone: 973-539-4425
Fax: 973-539-0922
In Canada:
The Seeing Eye Organization
c/o T8059, STN A
Toronto, Ontario M5W 3W5
Visit our website: www.SeeingEye.ca
Registered Canadian Charity Number 89100 8690 RR 0001
ISSN 0037-0819
Publication number 488580
The Seeing Eye produces The Guide® magazine in print, audio, and electronic versions. Copies are
available by request. This issue and past issues also are available on our website. Permission to reprint
may be obtained by contacting The Seeing Eye.
Seeing Eye® is a registered trademark for guide dogs of The Seeing Eye, Inc., and is its registered service
mark for training dogs as guides and instructing visually impaired individuals in their use and care. The
Seeing Eye admits and offers students of any race, color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, gender, gender
identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or ancestry all the rights, privileges, programs, and
activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual
orientation or ancestry in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and
loan programs, and other school-administered programs.
The Seeing Eye follows the guidelines recommended by the Council of U.S. Dog Guide Schools for the
humane care and training of dogs to be guides, and the instruction and graduate services offered to
people who are blind or visually impaired.
The Seeing Eye is an accredited member of the International Guide Dog Federation. The mission of The
Seeing Eye is to enhance the independence, dignity and self-confidence of people who are blind,
through the use of specially trained Seeing Eye dogs.
© 2015 THE SEEING EYE.